P.K. Subban to Voice Coach in Animated Screech Owls Series for CBC

P.K. Subban is back in hockey, this time as a cartoon coach.

The former NHL defenceman will executive produce and star in Screech Owls, an animated action-adventure series built around a youth hockey team, according to Deadline. Executive produce, in television terms, means he helps guide the show behind the scenes as well as performing in it.

The plan gives the series a clear path to television in Canada. It is set to launch in English on CBC in fall 2027. A French-language version will follow in winter 2028 on Radio-Canada and TFO, as reported by Deadline. That staggered rollout means English-speaking viewers will see it first, with French-speaking audiences catching up a few months later.

The show draws on Roy MacGregor's book series of the same name, which follows the adventures of young players on and off the ice. John May and Suzanne Bolch will return as head writers, meaning they lead the writing team and shape the stories and dialogue across episodes.

Behind the camera, Shaftesbury and Sphere Media are producing the series in partnership with the NHL and Boat Rocker. That brings together two Canadian production companies with the hockey league itself and a distribution specialist. Under the arrangement, the NHL holds exclusive distribution rights in the United States and the Nordics, meaning it controls sales of the show in those territories. Boat Rocker handles distribution everywhere else, selling the series to broadcasters and platforms outside those regions, according to Deadline.

On screen, Subban will voice the Screech Owls team coach. Subban retired from the NHL in 2022 after 13 seasons on the ice, and now moves into the locker room in animated form. He will be heard alongside a young core of players. Ana Sani voices captain Neela, who leads the team. Joshua Odjick voices forward Ishkode, who plays up front on the attack. Erika Prevost voices goalie Camille, the last line of defence. Jonathan Malen voices defenceman Trevor, who plays in front of her.

PWHL star Sarah Nurse will also make a cameo as herself, appearing in character as the real-life player. A cameo, in plain terms, is a short guest appearance, often by someone well known to the audience.

The team behind Screech Owls is organising it as a multi-platform franchise rather than a television show alone. Plans include extensions into interactive gaming, consumer products and global licensing, which would take the characters beyond the screen and into games, toys and other branded goods.

For young viewers, this means a bookshelf favourite about teamwork and hockey is heading for television with professional hockey closely involved. And with a former NHL star calling the plays from the bench, the whistle will sound familiar.